Oh man, I am so sick and tired of reading the same comments about every article that has to do with China, human rights or Ai Weiwei. Basically they amount to "Don't critisize China", "Human rights are unimportant" and "Ai Weiwei is not an artist".
I Think Ai Weiwei is not only a great artist but a modern day hero. He looked in the face of tyranny and gave it the finger. He sacrifices personal safety and freedom for his art and he deserves even more credit than he gets.
Yes he is not famous in China, that might have something to do with the fact that the Chinese media is not allowed to speak his name.
And yes, China is not a bad place as such, I have lived there happily for a few years, but if you don't think human rights should be observed and are worth fighting for, you are truly brainwashed, as many regretfully many have become. And to be honest the little man inside kind of hopes you will be terrifically wronged by your state, maybe tortured a little or maybe locked away in a dark cell somewhere, afraid, sad, alone and with the pain of not knowing why.
In the west it has taken two world wars, a cold one and countless revolutions to obtain and protect democracy, freedom of speech and human rights and so I refuse to debate with those that don't value these ideas, because debating it would set our conversation back fifty years, by implying that we are still questioning those ideas.

This is funny. Chen Guangcheng has never received any education in law, is called a lawyer; Ai Weiwei, whose work has no artistic value, is called a "famous" artist.
They are famous because they are against the party, that's all.

Without any reason, I went to Ai Weiwei's "Entrelacs" exhibition in Paris, and then spent hours on watching his documentary videos and art designs back home (Benefit my stay at this free country)... I do agree there are lots of ridiculous things happened in China, but this Guy himself is also kind of a joke. I 100% doubt he contributed anything to the design of Bird's Nest or Beijing Airport Terminal3 except taking uncountable number of photos (I have no intend to defend the government, but I cannot stand someone call himself an greatest artist only by saying no to anything, everything...)

This guy himself is famous because of his father, to a certain extend, he is a princeling himself. To be honest, I don't give a damn if he wants to go against the Party. However, all I heard from him is that he has been shouting, "Fuck China", refer to this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUjvshSPM5Y
TE cannot be more wrong if the editors believe this blubbering %*$# is a "freedom fighter" or "human right supporter", or he is supported by the Chinese people.
Remember JFK's famous speech?
"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."

that's because he is a product of corruption and abuses of some princelings in china and was some how got smuggled into new york city for 10 long years when going overseas study was difficult and rare for chinese folks, beating beating even Bo xilai's son by a few years.

he sold his soul to please some in the west by performing demeaning comic acts insulting his own country and people.

this guy is no good and TE's keep bringing him up really infuriates a lot of chinese against TE's country UK---some service TE did for UK.

TE is wrong. Ai Weiwei does not help China, he destroy China by working for CIA and Dalai Lama.

Chinese government has plenty proof of this activities. It is only because of goodness of the CCP that this drug-addict artist is not shot in head with bullet (and family not charged 6 cents for bullet cost).

It is shame this man wastes his life by breaking pots. He could be good worker at Foxconn and build many iPads for lazy Americans

Good for Weiwei of getting an upper 6-figure price for his piece of (fill in your preference). I don't care how much of it is the so-called dissident premium, as long as he pays his fair share of tax.

To be fair, this article at least reported Weiwei with a reasonable size 'artist' footnote, and I'm hoping one day a Chinese artist or a writer, etc, can be praised as an artist or a writer, without the 'dissident' prefix. But I'm also certain that Westerns will never accept a Chinese Wagner, for we all know racism is powerful and tenacious.

In my opinion, Ai Weiwei and Chen Guangchen are always linked together, since they both express their attitudes about the politics and really get under the Chinese government’s skin. Mr. Ai, who represents Chinese modern artists, is forbidden by the Community Party. Mr. Chen, a self-educated village lawyer, is also prohibited by the Party. In my memory, when I was studying at a university, an officer of Education Department told us, “Do not talk about politics, focus on your study.” I really really want to ask the government who could talk about the politics. I meditate on that question and get the answer—may be those who support them. The party’s “harmony” totem is achieved by getting rid of all dissenters. Perhaps one day the majority of the Chinese citizens are dissatisfied with the authority, at that time people might wipe out the autocracy, not wiped out by the government.

The question "what is art?" has confounded some great philosophers and made others pick their words very carefully indeed. Firm assertions about what art is and isn't often indicate that you are a Philistine in denial as opposed to just being honestly ( and more likably ) ignorant.

People who get cross about art and post annoyed comments to the Economist are funny. Governments who frog march citizens about the place and interrogate them in darkened rooms over it are absolutely priceless.

Ai Weiwei is biggest traitor in China!!!
He jealous of great economic progress of China (soon to be world's greatest country under leadership of BEST government in world, the CCP).
What use democracy if one cannot get rich lah???
Our Great Leader Mao must be weeping in his grave to see this
Long Live China! Long Live Mao!!!

chinese education system is a brainwashing machine. People live in matrix could not know which is reality before they wake up. So arguing with them is a waste of time. People discrediting AI WeiWei today will discover the value of him and his art someday.